Dead Zones

Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from human activities cause "dead zones"—or areas with low amounts of oxygen in the Bay. With little or no oxygen, fish, crabs, oysters, and other aquatic animals literally suffocate. Further, an excess in these nutrients also fuels the growth of dense algae blooms that block sunlight that underwater grasses need to grow in order to continue providing food for waterfowl and shelter for blue crabs and juvenile fish.

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In an update on "Keep the Cap" (Episode 74), CBF President Will Baker and Maryland Fisheries Scientist Allison Colden discuss the impact an industrial-scale fishing operation's opposition to the Bay cap could have on fish populations and the local sport and commercial fishing economies.